Sewing machine needle threader



Jan. 16, 1951 R. J. STINSON 2,538,395

SEWING MACHINE NEEDLE THREADER Filed May 19, 1947 FIG. 1. FIG. 2. a.

INVENTOR. ROBERT J. STINSON BY 447M VMW ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 16, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates generally to devices for threading needles, particularly such devices as are adapted to be mounted on sewing machines.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved needle threading device particularly designed for use on a sewing machine.

I am aware that several needle threaders have been devised and used on sewing machines, but all such devices with which I am familiar require that the needle be accurately positioned in order for the threader to work properly. Otherwise, if the needle is slightly out of position the threader element has a tendency to bind, while if the needle is farther out of position the threader may be entirely inefiective. The reason for this is that such devices, while providing means for guiding the needle threader laterally of the needle, are not constructed to guide the threader element longitudinally of the needle or even permit any movement of the "same axially of the needle.

It therefore is a particular object of this invention to provide a needle threader which automatically adjusts itself axially or longitudinally of the needle within reasonable limits as well as laterally thereof during the threading operation. In order to accomplish this, it is an object to provide a needle threader which includes a resiliently mounted head having a needle threader element and a guide means.

It is a further object to provide a device of the type indicated which is constructed in such a manner that it tends to automatically retract itself from the needle so that when it is released after it has been passed through the eye of the i needle and provided with a thread, it will tend to return through the eye of the needle, pulling the thread with it.

These and other objects will be apparent from the drawing and the following description. Re- -i'erring to the drawing, which is merely for .illustrative purposes:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a device embodying the invention shown mounted on a sewing machine head;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the device of Fig. 1 in collapsed or retracted position;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the left or outer side of the device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional elevation of the guide head and a portion of a needle showing the needle threading element initially contacting the needle;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig.4 but showing the parts in the position they occupy when the 2 threader element has passed through the eye of the needle;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional plan view on line 6-6 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectionalelevation of a modified form of the invention.

More particularly describing the invention, reference numeral l I generally indicates the head of a sewing machine which is provided with the usual needle post H2 in which is detachably secured a needle I3 by thumb screw I4.

Reference numeral l5 generally indicates the needle threading device of the invention which is mounted at the outer end of the head of the machine. The needle threading device includes a mounting plate It which is secured to the sewing machine head i l by means of a screw ll passing through. a suitable hole in the plate and a second screw it which passes through an armately disposed slot It in the plate. This mounting means provides a limited degree of adjustment of the needle threading device on the head of the machine, as may be necessary for a particular installation.

Hingedly mounted at 2!] on the mounting plate is a swingable plate or bracket 22. The bracket is apertured at 23- to receive a split head securing stud 24--on the mounting plate for the purpose of releasably holding the bracket 22 in the upper or retracted position of the device shown in Fig. 2.

The outer end of the bracket 22 is provided with an inwardly extending portion or shelf '25 which is centrally bored at 26 to receive a pin 28. The pin 28 is mounted in a block 39 and the two parts are resiliently held in the position in which they are shown by means of the coiled compression spring 3i about the pin and extending between a head 32 on the pin and the shelf 25. The shelf is provided with a laterally extending groove 35 which receives a correspondingly shaped projection 36 on the block 38 for the purpose of accurately orienting the parts when they are to be moved from the position of Fig. 2 It will be apparent that when it is desired to have the needle threader out of the way it can be swung up to the position shown in Fig. 2 and the block 3!] turned at right angles to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 1.

The needle threading portion of the device includes a head generally indicated. by 33 which has a body 39 and a pair of parallel guide bars 43 extending therefrom inwardly of the device as a whole. These guide bars are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the diameter of the needle and provide a needle receiving channel 4|. It may be noted that the guide bars are each beveled or tapered on the inner side of their outer ends at 42 to provide a wide mouth or entrance for the channel 4|, thereby facilitating the orientation of the head to the needle as the head is moved toward the needle.

The head also carries a needle threading element in the form of an elongated hook 43, the upper edge of which is substantially in line with the lower edges of the guide bars 49 and the hooked end portion 43' of which is bent down therebelow. It may be noted that the hook 43 terminates inwardly of the ends of the guide bars.

It is a particular feature ofthe invention that the head 38 is resiliently mounted and that this is accomplished in the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1-6 by providing a spring 45 which is mounted at one end in any suitable manner in a recess 46 in the head and at the other end in a recess 41 in the block 30.

In the operation of the device, assuming for example that the device is in the retracted position of Fig. 2, the block 30 is turned at right angles from the position of Fig. 2 to that of Fig. 1 and the bracket 22 swung down so that it depends from the mounting plate. Although the bracket is shown in full lines in Fig. 1 with the guide bars .49 adjacent the needle, it normally hangs away from the needle, as indicated by the broken lines in the figure. It is preferable in mounting the device to so relate it to the needle to be threaded that when the needle is at the top of the sewing stroke the eye of the needle will be opposite the hooked threader element 43.

Assuming that the needle l3, then, is in proper position, the needle threading head 38 is manually moved toward the needle, the device being grasped or moved from a point above the head, leaving the head free to adjust itself laterally and vertically as may be necessary. If, as assumed, the eye of the needle is directly opposite the hooked element 43, the element will pass through the eye. However, referring now to Figs. 4 and 5, it will be assumed that the needle is slightly lower than its uppermost position and that the hooked end 43' contacts the minor groove 50 of the needle just above the eye It will be noted that the hooked element 43 is normally inclined slightly downwardly and that upon further movement of the needle threader toward the needle the hooked end will ride down the groove 50 and find the eye 5|, passing therethrough to the position in which it is shown in 5. Regardless of the vertical position of the needle or whether it has the minor groove 56, the needle threading hook element is guided centrally to the axis of the needle by the guide bars 40 on the head.

When the device has been brought to the po sition of Fig. 5, it is then only necessary to wrap a thread 53 around the guide bars 48 and as the needle threading device is pulled backwardly through the needle the hooked portion 43 of the element 43 catches the thread and pulls it through the eye. In this connection it may be noted that the device normally hangs away from the needle and consequently there will be a tendency for the needle threading device to' automatically retract itself from the needle. Also, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, where the needle threading element 43 enters the eye from the top, it tends to retract itself due to the cam action against the upper margin of the eye of the needle under the influence of the stress of the mounting spring 45.

In Fig. '7 there is shown a modified mounting for the head 38 which comprises a highly resilient neck 54 of rubber or rubber-like material which serves to connect the block 30 and the head 38. This construction also provides the desired resiliently mounted head previously described in connection with the other form of the invention. The provision of the resilient mounting for the head is decidedly advantageous since it permits of a relatively great automatic adjustment of the threader where the eye of the needle is out of line with the normal position of the needle threading element.

Although the invention has been particularly shown and described, it is contemplated that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a needle threading device adapted to be mounted on a sewing machine head, a mounting plate adapted to be secured to the head of the sewing machine, a bracket hingedly mounted on said plate and adapted to depend therefrom, a needle threading head including a hooked element adapted to' enter the eye of a needle to be threaded and a pair of guide members located one on each side of said hooked element and adapted to receive the needle to be threaded, and a resilient mounting means connecting said bracket and said head, said resilient mounting means comprising a coil spring secured at one end to said head and supported at its other end by said bracket, said mounting means being constructed and arranged to support said element in a position facing the needle of the sewing machine.

2. In a needle threading device adapted to be mounted on a sewing machine head, a mounting plate adapted to be secured to the head of the sewing machine, a bracket hingedly mounted on said plate and adapted to depend therefrom, a block mounted for pivotal movement at the lower end of said bracket, interengaging means on said block and said bracket for releasably holding said block in predetermined position relative to said bracket, a needle threading head including a hooked element adapted to enter the eye of a needle and guide bars therefor, and a coil spring secured at one end in said head and at the other end in said block.

3. In a needle threading device adapted to be mounted on a sewing machine head, a mounting plate adapted to be secured to the head of the sewing machine, a bracket hingedly mounted on said plate and adapted to depend therefrom, a block below the outer end of said bracket, a pin secured to said block and passing through said bracket, spring means for urging said block against the end of said bracket, interengaging means on said block and said bracket for releasably holding said block in predetermined position relative to said bracket, a needle threading head including a hooked element adapted to enter the eye of a needle, and resilient mounting means extending between said block and said head.

, 4. In a needle threading device adapted to be mounted on a sewing machine head, a mounting plate adapted to be secured to the head of the sewing machine, a bracket hingedly mounted on means on said block and said bracket for releasably holding said block in predetermined position relative to said bracket, a needle threading head including a hooked element adapted to enter the eye of a needle, and a coil spring extending between said block and said head.

5. In a needle threading device adapted to be mounted on a sewing machine head, a mounting plate adapted to be secured to the head of the sewing machine, a bracket hingedly mounted on said plate and adapted to depend therefrom, a block below the outer end of said bracket, a pin secured to said block and passing through said bracket, spring means for urging said block against the end of said bracket, interengaging means on said block and said bracket for releasably holding said block in predetermined position relative to said bracket, a needle threading head including a hooked element adapted to enter the eye of a needle, and a rubber-like element extending between said block and said head.

6. In a needle threading device adapted to be mounted on a sewing machine head, a bracket constructed and arranged to be hingedly mounted 6 v on and to depend from the head of the sewing machine, a needle threading head having a -hooked element for entering the eye of the needle f; togbe threaded and having guides for receiving needle, and resilient mounting means supnfg said head at the end of said bracket, said ng means being movably adjustable on the 13 whereby to enable said threading head if}lto-ibefriositioned facing a needle to be threaded :or positioned facing away from the needle.

ROBERT J. STINSON.

REFERENCES CITED following references are of record in the this patent:

" V UNITED STATES PATENTS Y Name Date 7&2? Dupuis Apr. 1, 1913 918 Rczdilski May 5, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS v f i Country Date 53,155 Norway Oct. 9, 1933 

